at Presidential Inaugurations
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The atheist who persuaded a federal appeals court to strike down the Pledge of Allegiance because of the words "under God" lost a bid Monday to abolish prayer at presidential inaugurations.
A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Michael Newdow did not suffer "a sufficiently concrete and specific injury" to pursue his latest claim.
Newdow is both an emergency room physician and a lawyer and has represented himself in the two legal actions.
Newdow argued that the Rev. Franklin Graham's prayer at President Bush's 2001 inauguration was an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. He said the practice of clergy-led prayer at presidential inaugurations did not begin until Franklin D. Roosevelt's second inauguration in 1937.
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA9TO321RD.htmlcomment : chalk up another one for "W"